SAFEGUARDING

FOR CLUBS

Safeguarding in Your Club

Clubs are at the heart of our football community and play a key role in safeguarding the wellbeing of all participants. This page provides essential information and tools to help clubs create safe, inclusive, and supportive environments ensuring tamariki, rangatahi, and vulnerable adults are protected and respected at every level of the game.

Ensuring Safe Practice: A Guide for Clubs

All adults who work with children, young persons or vulnerable adults have a responsibility to safeguard and promote their welfare.

Whether you have paid staff or volunteers, you should be undertaking some degree of safety checking on anyone who may be required to work with children, young persons or vulnerable adults.

NZF strongly recommends that all federations, clubs and other football service providers undertake police vetting for any paid staff or volunteers who have contact with children, young persons or vulnerable adults.

View our recommended pathway to safeguarding on the right.

Club Safeguarding Champion

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Clubs and other football service providers should appoint at least one Safeguarding Champion, who will be the point of contact for the NZF Safeguarding Manager and Federation Safeguarding Advisors.

The Safeguarding Champion’s role is to manage the vetting process within their club including verifying the identity of the individuals being vetted and accessing the NZF Police Vetting System to view the vetting results for their club/football service provider.

They will be required to register as a Club Safeguarding Champion in the NZF Police Vetting System and undertake training as part of the registration process.

Immediate Danger & Poor Practice

Dealing with suspicions of  abuse is difficult, and especially if the allegation is made against someone who is a staff member or volunteer. If there is immediate danger please call the Police or Oranga Tamariki. 

Intervening early to provide support to address wellbeing concerns or poor practice can prevent more serious concerns occurring. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

To report a concern, please see HERE.

Contact Your Federation Safeguarding Advisor

Click the federation's logo below to find your region's Safeguarding Advisor:

For any other questions or concerns, please contact the NZF Safeguarding Manager at safeguarding@nzfootball.co.nz

Further Information and Resources